Hollow Bastian
by Juliet-Everdeen
Summary: Sora has just arrived at Hollow Bastian, his eyes are finaly opened to the darkness of Riku's heart and he's ready to stop playing around: he's ready to save Kairi and the worlds. However standing in his way is the monsterous castle of Hollow Bastian. Can the love he has for Kairi drive him through the many challenges ahead?
1. Chapter 1

Desolation.

That's all Sora could see was desolation. The castle of Hollow Bastian was a desolate wasteland. The angry rush of the upstream falls, blackened waters and grey crashes swirled around the mystic and dangerous world that was Hollow Bastian.

He stared up at the twisted and mangled black brick towers of the castle. Rushing waters coursed under his feet and yet he did not fall into the deadly waters below. He looked back at his companions, Donald and Goofy, for strength but all he could muster was fears for Kairi's safety.

_Please be safe. Please be safe. _He thought as he began the ascent to the gates of the castle. Donald and Goofy are not far behind him as he reaches a platform holding a fountain of crystal waters. It glittered against the orange sunlight of the strange new world.

It must have been the only beautiful thing there. Hanging over their heads were vine covered pillars of peach and balance beam like platforms hanging on thin beams of light blue. If this wasn't the most dangerous place to be he would find it breathtaking. _If only Kairi was here. She would love it. _He thought sadly.

In the distance he can hear a low tone speaking gruffly; then a familiar tone, kinda cocky but deadly familiar. "Riku…" Sora said softly. He tightened his grip on the keyblade and motioned for the others to start walking.

All Sora could hear was the rushing waters and his low breath. Kairi had to be here, she had to be here. There was no other world left since his was destroyed, he had searched everywhere. This was the only thing standing between him and seeing her again. _Love for my friends… that's what has to drive me. _

As he turns the corner he sees a beast standing with its back to him. Sora ducked behind a pillar to watch in silence. It was tall and hairy with sharp talons. Clipped around its neck was a violet cape that fluttered in the wind. Sora caught his breath as it spoke "I came for Belle now where is she?" it snarled.

"No vessel and no heartless. How did you get here?" Riku said flatly. He had already dismissed this "Hero". This monster was nothing compared to the power he has.

"I believed and nothing more. I believed I can get Belle back, no matter the cost. And I will bring her back." Melancholy weighed down the beasts' heart and voice.

Riku scoffed "well then you mean nothing to me."

Sora watched in a cold horror as Riku quickly struck down the beast. "Stop!" he cried as he slid into view "Riku,"

"So you finally came, I was tired of waiting for you." Riku said behind a slick malicious smile.

Out of habit Sora gripped the keyblade. Riku couldn't help but laugh "We've always been rivals. I've pushed you to your limits and you've pushed me. However it ends here because there can only be one keyblade master." He swung out his hand and then the impossible happened.

The keyblade disappeared from within Sora's grip and entered the grasp of Riku's hand.

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**This is my first Kingdom hearts fanfic, not my first fanfic however so I have experiance. I am a long time fan and I just really wanted to write one. I do not own Kingdom hearts I just play it. Hope you enjoy :D**


	2. Chapter 2

A feeling of emptiness. How can you describe loss without feeling empty or broken? How do you tell someone that you failed them?

Sora was hunched over staring down at the grey cobblestone of the small floating pavilion, they had already left and yet here he was staring down at a small mahogany made sword. How many times had he and Riku fought using only these? It seemed like just yesterday that he was racing Riku down the beach.

Now look where they are. Here they are in a while different world, one is fighting in the means of darkness while the other is fighting in the means of the light. Light or dark they both have the same goal: they both want to save Kairi.

It was laughable but Riku was so much closer then he will ever be. Sora pushed back so he was sitting on his knees and leaning against his toes; out of a habit he never had Sora ran his fingers through his hair, pushing around the thin strands of light and dark brown hair.

Beast was gone; Donald, Goofy, and Riku were all gone as well. He just sat there letting the rushing sounds of the upstream waters buzz in his ears. Sora looked back down at the wooden sword "Kairi… I'm sorry." He whispered.

He could see it now; Riku was probably halfway to getting back to Kairi and giving her heart back. He lost his home and his friends. "I lost you now too." Sora whispered.

Something flared up inside his heart; _I've come way too far to give up now. _Sora scooped up the wooden sword and stood. Hollow Bastian stood like a ghost, mocking him. The sign of the heartless stood high on the castle's face.

_Kairi…_

Sora ran up the winding path to the main castle. There were floating ribbons of light that hung over his head, connected to the walls of the castle. As he walked his heart beat faster and faster, each beat went to the rhythm of her name. _Kairi… _A force crashed against his chest, Sora flew against the ground scraping his nails on the cobblestone.

He slid across the path and his legs swung over the edge. Sora clasped onto the edge of the pathway as his legs dangled over the edge of the empty sky like abyss that Hollow Bastian was floating on. A fat orb like heartless seemed to laugh at him, he was defenseless; an unprotected heart ready to be eaten. Sora closed his eyes and imagined Kairi as he knew her. Wide teasing smile, short wild red hair.

With all his strength Sora swung himself back onto the ledge and grabbed the wooden sword. The heartless seemed amused as it sped at him. With all his might Sora swung the wooden sword like a bat and sent the heartless crashing against the wall. It went face first into the hard concrete before splattering in a dust of violet and black.

Sora stood there dazed, he blinked for a few seconds and then took off running. He imagined himself back on his island, racing against Riku with Kairi cheering behind them. Sora pictured himself back there to that moment; it pushed him to run even faster.

_Kairi… _


	3. Chapter 3

His feet squeaked against the tile of the vast hallway. In the distance he can hear something; it was a mix of buzzing like static and talking. The voice was inaudible so Sora dismissed him. Standing in front of him was a tall set of emerald colored doors embossed with gold lining and designs. He took deep breaths; Sora had fought for this long. No matter what is on the other side of these doors he's ready to take it head on.

With all his strength Sora braces his shoulder against the door and pushes, his feet dragging against the ground. His eardrums were pounding from the irritating static sounds that seemed to grow stronger as he kept pushing on the doors. Finally the left door swung open and Sora tripped over his feet, falling flat on his stomach.

"_Sora you lazy bum," Kairi said looking down at him "I knew I'd find you here, slacker!" she teased. _

A dark laughter filled Sora's ears as Riku watched from his perch on the marble banister that was well polished and decorated with painted black vines "Pathetic, you always did fall flat on your face." He said darkly "Not once did you come out victorious, no wonder the keyblade and your friends left you."

Anger boiled up in Sora as he flipped onto his feet and thrust the wooden sword at Riku with all his might "JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" he shouted.

Donald and Goofy gaped at him as they stood behind Riku who snapped the wooden sword in half with the stolen keyblade. "What?" Riku asked, a little stunned.

"Just shut up," Sora repeated "I am so tired of you pushing me and teasing me! Until now all I thought about was finding you and Kairi but instead I found out you are just as bad as the heartless who took her!" He shouted, clenching his fists.

Riku thrust himself off the banister and into the open air. His snow white hair uplifting as his clothes were warped by ribbons of black and violet. A body suit of black and the blood red mark of the heartless burned to life on his chest. He hit the ground with ease, one knee knelt against the ground and his head ducked. "How dare you speak to your better like that?"

"My better?" Sora repeated. He laughed "That is the stupidest thing to ever come out of your mouth, Riku. You have no idea what I've done and who I've fought to try to just hear your names let alone hear news on where in the worlds you were!"

"Shut up!" Riku screamed. He sent a ball of fire at Sora. He closed his eyes waiting for the searing pain but it never came. Goofy jumped in the way and lifted his shield sending the fire to part around its sleek gold surface.

"You dare defy your king?" Riku shouted.

Goofy straightened "Orders from King Mickey or not, Sora's our friend and friends stick together." Donald nodded and ran over to Sora and Goofy's side.

"You may have the keyblade but I know in my heart that my friends are my power and as long as I have them I will always fight and I won't stop until the heartless are gone for good!" Sora said smiling at his friends.

Riku laughed and pointed the keyblade at him "Then you can join those friends later in the afterlife." a ball of dark light started to erupt from the tip of the key but the strings of gold and white weaved in and out of the blade. Riku gasped as the blade imploded in crystalized golden sparkles.

Sora lifted his hand to the sky and the keyblade returned to his grasp. "Impossible…" Riku said breathlessly "I'm the keyblade master!"

"No you aren't Riku." Sora replied "Your heart is too dark to save."

He gripped his fist and created the keyblade of darkness, "Die Damnit!" he screamed. Quickly he ran at Sora and jumped in the air, aiming the keyblade at Sora. Quickly Sora thrust the keyblade out and then lifted it clashing the shafts of the keyblade. Sparks of bright red and gold escaped the thin crushing sound of the scraping keyblades.

Sora sent Riku back with all his strength. Riku scowled but he turned and ran from the main hall, up the marble stairs and through another set of emerald doors. Sora sighed and looked down at his feet "Riku…"

"_Don't worry, we'll find him Kairi." _Sora thought. _"We'll bring him home too," _

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**Sorry it took so long to update this. Now that school is over I promise to update more often. Hope you enjoy! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Sora, Donald, and Goofy ran through the labyrinth like corridors of Hollow Bastian. They killed heartless left and right, nothing was going to stand in Sora's way now. Not when Kairi is so close he can feel it in every inch of his body. Every bone, every muscle.

They arrived in the chapel of the castle, surrounding them was a princess of the heart encased in crystals that shined like glass. Sora could identify Jasmine and Alice and then the four other princesses he could remember from the place he visited called "The Station of Awakening".

"So you found us, but you fools are already too late!" Maleficent cackled from her perch near the final keyhole. "As you can see the door to all worlds is almost complete you just need to return something that doesn't belong to you."

She moved aside her robe revealing Kairi, slumped over in a trance like state. "Kairi!" Sora called his heart seemed to soar into his throat. Quickly he ran over to her and shook her shoulders screaming her name over and over again.

"She won't wake." Riku said his voice with two tones that sent shivers down his spine. "She won't wake without her heart."

"Then give it back to her!" Sora yelled back slowly setting Kairi down.

"Ask that to yourself." He replied. Immediately Sora's chest felt as though something slammed across his ribcage sending him to the ground. "You have the princess' heart I suggest you give it back to her." He lifted the keyblade high over Sora's head "I will now return your heart princess."

"_SORA!" _Kairi screamed inside his head filling his chest with adrenaline, he willed the keyblade to his grasp and shot Riku's keyblade back pushing the demonic version of Riku against the door to darkness.

"I won't let you take Kairi's heart!" he hissed.

Riku straightened "Then you will deal with me, Ansem, the master of darkness."

Sora gripped the keyblade harder "With pleasure."


	5. Chapter 5

"There's a monster in the cave!" Sora dragged Riku by his wrist into the old dusty cave where they drew on the walls.

Riku stumbled on his feet as Sora skidded to a halt on the sand "I swear I heard something in here…" Sora's voice trailed away. Riku crossed his arms and glared at him "I'm not lying, Riku I really did hear something!" Sora exclaimed.

"Yea sure; you have some imagination there Sora." Riku said irritably before starting to walk out of the cave.

"Jerk!" Sora called after him as he ran to catch up with his friend.

"Sora you have to promise me nobody not even Kairi can come here to the cave. This is our place only." Riku said not even looking back to him.

"Of course, she would just make it all girly and stuff." Sora replied resting his hands on the back of his neck extending his elbows to the sky.

At that moment Kairi ran over "Sora" she tilted her head a little "and where were you?" her strands of red hair tilted against her shoulder as she gave him a gentle look with her crystal blue eyes.

Sora's face started to get warm as blush spread across his cheeks. Riku gave him a cold look as Sora rubbed the back of his head "heh me and Riku were just taking a food trip." He stuttered a little "and where were YOU?"

Kairi blushed a little "just walking around."

Riku shook his head as Kairi kept walking "You're hopeless Sora."

Sora watched as the edge of Riku's keyblade swung across his eyes just barely about to skim his nose. Quickly he slid back on his heels and swung his keyblade at the darker version of Riku, no, Ansem. "Won't you just give it up already you can't beat me. One touch to your chest with the keyblade of people's hearts and you will become the heartless you fought so hard to destroy," he menaced.

"No I won't!" Sora yells pushing Riku back with the keyblade "I will stop you Ansem!"

Ansem smiled wickedly "Is that so?"

Quickly Sora swung the keyblade and drove it inches close to Ansem's face. Ansem smiled and sunk into a black hole in the ground "Only you can awake the princess." Sitting in his place was the sleek black keyblade.

Goofy and Donald stared at Sora as he picked up the keyblade. "Sora!" Donald called. Sora smiled at him but looked to Kairi.

_I promised I'll find you and bring you back home, Kairi. Even if it means you go home without me. _Before Donald or Goofy could react Sora drove the keyblade into his heart. A gold light burst from his chest as the light separated into six lights. The lights returned to the sleeping princesses; one more light escaped Sora's chest and seeped into Kairi's.

Slowly Kairi sat up only to see Sora fall.


End file.
